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An advertisement for Equestria Girls has been released that shows off Princess Twilight Sparkle staring into a mirror that displays her “human” self. A photo was uploaded to Photobucket by SugarDonut314 and later posted on Derpibooru.

The advertisement, like the Season 1 and 2 DVDs of Friendship is Magic,confirms Shout Factory’s involvement. It also provides a website link, mlpeg.com, though this link currently just takes you to the official My Little Pony website. It should also be noted that it is rated “TV-Y,” which indicates a direct-to-DVD release or TV movie rather than a large-scale cinematic release. If it is released in theaters, it’ll most likely be limited.

Fan reaction, e.g., on Equestria Daily, who also reported on the ad, has been exceptionally negative, with some fans proclaiming the end of the franchise.

Ugh… that animation style is horrible. Early designs were okay but this looks terrible. Besides, I have to deal with people every single day; give me ponies!

Ian Ballinger

I haven’t personally liked the designs since the beginning. I just don’t like the humanization concept.

Anonymous

If I had to guess I’d say they are trying to mimic the beats dolls look.

Carolina A Leo

Oh, dear sweet Celestia. Those negative ppl just want to hurt more the franchise.

For me, i like the idea of Ponies looking like humans and is totally cute and fashion. I want one of these girls, specially Pinkie. I hope the official EG will have a lot of activities.

BTW: This ad comes from a catalog advertising the “Crystal Princess Celebration” thing (That includes the Ms Dazzle Cake and Candy Cutie Mark unnamed Filly set, CPC Playful ponies…) I want to see more

Anonymous

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it’s the end of the franchise…
But yeah, this isn’t looking too good. Chances are that this will bomb.

Ian Ballinger

I’ll be fair and give it a chance… but I don’t expect much either.

Battra

Any word on how much the DVD is going to cost?

Bart

Will this film crash and burn? Possibly, though I can never underestimate the spending power of parents. It certainly won’t do well with the Brony demographic.

Is it the end of FiM? Christ, no. It’s not even canon with FiM. I might not find it too interesting myself, but it’s most assuredly not the end of the show or the fandom. It’s just a spinoff series that has little to do with the original series. *shrug*

Ben

You’re making one flawed assumption: you’re assuming that Hasbro execs aren’t complete idiots. I’ve seen this happen a few times, a corporation will back a spinoff or self contained movie or whatever and if it bombs the idiotic executives will panic, declare the entire franchise/marketing bloc a wasted effort and start pulling the plug on other projects (I remember that Disney pulled the plug on a Rescue Rangers movie because the Ducktales movie bombed in one instance) in a fit of complete lunacy. I hope that doesn’t happen but my faith in the intelligence of corporate executives has been often misplaced.

Scoot

People know season 4 is in production, right?

The whiners (groanies, as I have come to think of them) are OCD twits who are incapable o just letting go an having fun with a cartoon. After every episode they run to their computer and feverishly type up their laundry list of faults and flaws and many time demonstrate they are adult missing the moral point of a kids show.

Ignore their shallow nonsense. In fact, encourage them to leave he fandom. They will not be missed. No, groanie, we don’t need your 50 page analysis on how Twilight gaining wings violates the theme of dialectical materialism clearly established in season 2. Buh bye.

As for Hasbro going with humanized ponies, well, DUH! Have you seen how much humanized pony art is out there? This is not rocket science or age spells.

Ian Ballinger

Just because there is a bunch of humanized pony art doesn’t mean it would work as a show/movie. However, I do see your point

Manic

Just because Cupcakes is the most popular and well known fanfic out there doesn’t mean they should turn it into a movie. I’ve seen as many art pieces based off of that fic as I have seen human ponies.

Nimble_Hooves

I guess, to you, I am just one of those groanies, but I don’t go to the extent of breaking down episodes or any of that nonsense. I just happen to like the show as it is, and I don’t see why Hasbro needs to produce this spin-off.
Suggesting it was going to happen because there is humanised pony art out there is just nonsense. Yes, there is humanised pony art, but the proportion of it compared to other pony art is tiny (maybe you’ve just seen more becuase it is your ‘thing’). I also have to mention the vast majority of humanised pony art is far better than the Equestria Girls character designs released so far.
Yes, Season 4 of MLP:FiM is in production (actually it is probably complete, or very nearly so), but I do have to point out that the most likely reason Season 3 really was so short is that they had to split resources between the production of MLP:FiM and Equestria Girls. Of course they’d never come out and admit that. If the Equestria Girls didn’t impact on MLP:FiM in any way, then perhaps I wouldn’t care as much. What is the point of this spinoff? Why not just make a MLP:FiM movie?
Finally, Hasbro were promoting Equestria Girls as a special to mark the 30th Aniiversay of My Little Pony: they’re marking the Anniversary of My Little Pony by making a show without ponies?? Umm.. WTF? How exactly does that celebrate My Little Pony?

Anonymous

So wait, I am an OCD twit who is incapable o just letting go an having fun with a cartoon simply because I don’t like Equestria Girls so far? ‘Cos of COURSE that’s not fanboying! Instead of coming up with valid points as to why these groanies ae OCD twits, you simply call them just that for not liking EG.
Just look at the character designs then compare them to fan art of the Mane Six as humans and you decide which is better.
Also take a very good look at the character designs then couple them with a HIGH SCHOOL setting and you might see why “groanies” don’t like EG vey much.

AngryMLPFan

There’s lots of MLP fanpairings out there, mainly inbetween the Main 6, isn’t there? Ever heard of Rule 34 or Rule 63? You don’t see Hasbro endorsin’ or fudge it even making anything of the sort do you?